Romanian Social Democrats Set To Impeach President Basescu If He Passes Pension Bill

Ponta added social democrats will set off impeachment procedures the minute Basescu passes the pension bill, arguing that if he passes the bill, he will only legalize the recent fraudulent vote on the bill in Parliament. Also, Ponta called on all parliamentary groups, including those in the country's ruling coalition, to uphold social democrats' initiative.

Social democrats and liberals said they will challenge the pension bill at the Constitutional Court Thursday, in a move to have the draft act reexamined in Parliament.

The Chamber of Deputies Tuesday rejected the Standing Bureau's proposition to put the pension bill to the vote again, amid fraud allegations raised by the opposition. Social democrats said the vote on the pension bill was rigged and the party filed criminal complaints against Chamber of Deputies Speaker Roberta Anastase and lawmaker Sever Voinescu on Tuesday.

Last week, the Chamber enacted the bill with 170 votes in favor, two against and three abstentions, after ten hours of debates and in the absence of lawmakers from opposition parties (Social Democratic, Liberal and Conservative), who had walked out.

On April 19, 2007 the Parliament suspended Basescu from his position of president until a referendum on May 19, 2007 called for his reinstatement.

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